[Debbie]

Is it worthwhile making reservations in hostels or should you just walk in?. I have just been to Sydney and my reservation at a recommended hostel was "lost" and I was consequently turned away. Does anyone have any tips on how to avoid this, or whether it is worthwhile at all to make a reservation?

[Penguin]

Most hostels will honour their reservations although it is always a good idea to get some sort of confirmation of your reservation.

One way to do this is to either fax or email them and ask for a reply. However this is a lot of work for a busy hostel manager although you could make things easy for them and prepare a form that they can fill in and fax back.

Another alternative, and perhaps the best option, is to book online. An increasing number of hostels now offer this option. There is sometimes a booking fee although this can be worth the extra expense for the peace of mind it offers.